Cognoscenti Food & Wine
1628A Burwood Hwy, Belgrave VIC 3160, Australia
Cognoscenti Food & Wine Function Rooms
Private dining space in the heart of the Hills
Exclusive use of the restaurant. Fit up to 60 people for a sit down dinner, and up to 80 people for a cocktail party. Guests have access to private courtyard.
Reviews for Cognoscenti Food & Wine
Catherine Hope
Very disappointed with our shared lamb shoulder for $86. It was mostly fat and bone, and challenging to carve off what little meat there was. Barely enough for a single serve. We weren't asked "how is everything" at any point. When our plates were removed and we commented, the response was simply that the chef would be let known. The $27 prawn entree was also disappointing, with the meat difficult to extract. The sparkling water first served was flat. Not up to par with several past experiences. See the photos. See the difference.
Liana Hardy
Last night two of my friends and I visited Cognoscenti to try the food and red wine for the first time after hearing a reccomendation. The overall experience was super amazing with friendly waiters/waitresses and also the unforgettable dishes we were able to try. The butterfly Queensland prawns, Pissaladiere tart, croquettes, Beef short rib, soufflé, chocolate mousse are all a must-have to try if you plan to visit. The red wine we had from the diverse list was also incredible. I can definitely recommend this beautiful restaurant and wine bar and I can't wait to come back again!
Jasmine (Jas.eats)
ORDERED: 🍞 Wood-fired flat bread, whipped ricotta, Za’atar, Mt Zero olive oil ($8.00) 🦪 Wood-fired oyster, Nduja, honey, sherry & lime butter ($6.50) 🧆 Sweet corn & cheddar croquettes, confit garlic aioli (3 per serve) ($16.00) 🦐 BBQ butterflied Queensland leader prawns, smoked chilli butter, fried curry leaves (4 per serve) ($27.00) 🐟 Saddletail Snapper crudo, mandarin & kombu dressing, avocado, pickled fennel ($24.00) 🍚 Prawn & Saffron risotto, mascarpone, lime, dill & crispy capers ($34.00) 🐟 Crispy skin Humpty Doo Barramundi, fire roasted summer vegetables, green oil ($41.00) 🦆 Roasted corn-fed duck breast, honey glazed parsnips, charred greens, cherry gastric sauce ($56.00) 🥕 Blistered carrots, dill yoghurt, lemon maple dressing, crunchy seeds ($12.00) 🍟 Crispy potato chips, rosemary salt, confit garlic aioli ($12.00) It was $56.60 for my portion (which included a public holiday and card surcharge) REVIEW: 💖 My favourites from Cognoscenti were the prawns and the risotto! The prawns are gigantic, and the BBQ really brings out its sweetness with a nice charcoal flavour backing it up. 🔥 The shell is almost crispy enough to bite through in some areas. But if you want to avoid the limbs poking up at you, then you can definitely scrape the meat out. It’s split in half for you as well! I appreciate the staff for accommodating an extra 2 prawns so everyone on the table could have one each. 🧡 The other favourite for me was the risotto. 💛 It was deceptively simple, but the creaminess and subtle flavours in the risotto made it a genuinely enjoyable dish. Split between 6, it was enough of a small sample to keep it fragrant and delicious, without feeling waterlogged by the creaminess that I get from finishing other risottos. ❌ My least favourite was the snapper crudo. Awkwardly, it had a piece of skin still attached (!!) which turned some refreshing bites into a chewy moment as it warmed in your mouth. Not quite the way you make crudo, but all the elements of the sauce were nice. The service was pretty friendly, and the staff were on point on keeping our waters topped up. You can also park behind the Woolies (plenty of parking) if you were to end up in Belgrave for dinner! 🚗
Claire Thomsek
Whilst staying in the Hills for a month we wanted to try out this Belgrave restaurant led by an ex Donovan team. The Sunday roast did not disappoint. Probably the moistest roast chicken I’ve ever had and I NEED that beetroot salad recipe. Food was amazing, atmosphere nice and service was good. The server we had was very knowledgeable and provided good suggestions. I’d happily drive her from Melbourne for the Sunday roast. For the quality and quantity of food $60 was great value.
Marina Argyros
The perfect balance of simplicity and sophistication! During our visit my partner, my family and I tasted about half of the current menus offerings, and nothing fell short of delicious! Each dish was masterfully put together and elegantly balanced without being overcomplicated - allowing the fresh, seasonal ingredients to shine! Portions were generous and the service was warm, leaving us all satisfied and eager for our next visit! The fresh & wood fired oysters, wagu skewers, stunning leeks, melt-in-your-mouth slow cooked lamb and basque cheesecake were all highlights. It’s safe to say we left with smiling faces and full tummies!